Alexa Boulton: Cinema

David Stratton: A Cinematic Life

A compelling personal journey with David Stratton, as he relates the fascinating development of our cinema history. David guides us from his boyhood cinema experience of Australia in England, where he saw the first images of this strange and exotic landscape via the medium of film, to his migration to Australia as a ‘ten pound pom’ in 1963 and onto his present day reflections on the iconic themes that run through our cinematic legacy. All of this reflects a passionate engagement in a uniquely Australian medium. Parallel and at the heart of the series is the story of an industry whose growing pains David has witnessed over a lifetime. Alongside David, the protagonists of this history are the giants of Australian cinema – both behind the camera and in front of it.

Godard Cinema

Jean-Luc Godard is synonymous with cinema. With the release of Breathless in 1960, he established himself overnight as a cinematic rebel and symbol for the era's progressive and anti-war youth. Sixty-two years and 140 films later, Godard is among the most renowned artists of all time, taught in every film school yet still shrouded in mystery. One of the founders of the French New Wave, political agitator, revolutionary misanthrope, film theorist and critic, the list of his descriptors goes on and on. Godard Cinema offers an opportunity for film lovers to look back at his career and the subjects and themes that obsessed him, while paying tribute to the ineffable essence of the most revered French director of all time.

Chasing Tables

Chasing Tables explores the journey of Jordan Taylor, a Sioux Falls native whose rise in the culinary world is as complex as the dishes he creates. After training under James Beard award-winning chefs Cory Schreiber and Brad Root in some of the Pacific Northwest’s most acclaimed restaurants, Taylor returned to South Dakota and built a string of successful establishments. But his story goes beyond the kitchen—it’s a tale of resilience, transformation, and the pursuit of excellence in an industry known for its intensity. Featuring interviews with renowned chefs, colleagues, and influential culinary figures, Chasing Tables offers a behind-the-scenes look at the highs and lows of Taylor’s career, capturing the heart of South Dakota’s evolving food scene.

A Day Of Assault

On April 20 of 1988, six young people stormed the central Banamex branch in Los Mochis and held hostage the people inside the location. 30 years after this incident, the survivors recount what happened.

I'm Thinking a lot of Thoughts Right Now

Four friends embark on a journey to California where they discover the beauty of friendship amidst the stunning landscapes of the West.

The Ring Thing

When Sarah accidentally proposes to her girlfriend in Provincetown, the mixup turns their loving relationship into a minefield of marital exploration.

Caos do Sodré

Cidade Dorme

Night falls and the noisy and chaotic population of the city of Rio de Janeiro goes to their homes, preparing for a new day. But while most people sleep, how does the city function? Early morning seems, to unaccustomed eyes, something lonely and even scary. What is life like, then, for those who work and live while the city sleeps?

Twilight

Filming for this picture took place in Russia over the course of a quarter of a century: in 2000, 2010 and 2022. The film is preceded by an epigraph: “The fate of every person depends on the country where they live, just as the fate of a country depends on its citizens”.

Alain Delon, la beauté du diable et les femmes...

Maven

Set in the rugged and dense landscape of the Kosciuszko National Park, MAVEN follows a group of adventurers who call the stunning and often unforgiving Australian Alps home. Their journeys start haphazardly, often departing late and arriving in the dark, leading them to unforeseen challenges and discoveries. This film is not about fresh tracks. It’s a deeper exploration of self-care, community, and environmental awareness.

The Welles Raft

The raft man Manuel Jacaré was swallowed by the sea when Orson Welles was filming It's All True in 1942. The fact evokes memories of the dictatorship of the Estado Novo, of World War II, of Ceará fishermen's struggle for labor rights and housing in their traditional space - target of real estate speculation.

King on Screen

1976, Brian de Palma directs Carrie, the first novel by Stephen King. Since, more than 50 directors adapted the master of horror's books, in more than 80 films and series, making him now, the most adapted author still alive in the world.

Ojos Inocentes

Reclaiming the Night

In the aftermath of war, an extraordinary professor brings hope to children haunted by trauma-induced nightmares.

Plunging On Alone: Monte Hellman's Life in a Day

Monte Hellman was born in 1932. By 1986 he made eight features, but had not directed for six years. I had made as many documentaries, but had not turned a foot of film through a camera for two years. I decided to break the silence by spending a day with him. Nine rolls were loaded into the camera. We talked until either we or the camera ran out.

Cecil B. DeMille, l'inventeur du blockbuster

Retirement Home

A group of elders spends their weekdays in a retirement home in Sandim, in the north of Portugal, where they talk, do arts and crafts, practice yoga and pray. We follow them between October 2012 and March 2013, when an economic crisis overshadowed Portuguese society and unemployment rates reached record levels. Meanwhile, arrangements are made for the Carnival ball. Will they bring the first place home this time?

The Empire Strikes Door

A thrilling comedic documentary attempting to uncover the mystery of who is responsible for one of the most infamous bloopers in cinematic history.

India on Film: 1899 – 1947

As part of the 2017 UK-India Year of Culture, the British Council and British Film Institute share a unique collection of films documenting the sights and culture of a bygone India. Filmed between 1899-1947, and preserved in the BFI National Archive since then, these rare films capture many glimpses of life in India, from dances and markets, to hunts and pageantry.